Holliday Receives Contract Extension Through 2017

Kentucky’s Education Commissioner has been given a four-year contract extension. The state board of education unanimously agreed to award the extension to Terry Holliday, who has been on the job since 2009. The new deal covers the years of 2013 to 2017, and keeps Holliday’s annual salary at $225,000.

Since Holliday took the job as Kentucky Education Commissioner, the state has adopted what’s known as Common Core State Standards in the subjects of English-language arts and mathematics.

Earlier this year, the Commonwealth was one of a group of states granted increased flexibility under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Kentucky was granted $ 17 million in federal Race to the Top grants, designed to better professional development opportunities for educators and expand Advanced Placement classes for students.

State Board of Education chairman David Karem says the contract extension given to Holliday shows the board is pleased with progress made under Holliday’s leadership, and wants “continuity and stability.”